


Soul Mark

by Enchantedtalisman



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, M/M, Soulmates, soul marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-29
Updated: 2015-04-29
Packaged: 2018-03-26 07:36:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3842470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enchantedtalisman/pseuds/Enchantedtalisman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marks, everyone has them, Shepard's is right at his shoulder, and it doesn't heat up. Until the day they land on Earth to check the Normandy one last time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Soul Mark

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this...ages ago? At least last year if not in December or January.
> 
> Once again a short word length, ONE DAY I will write something that's not under five thousand words man, one day.

 The first time Shepard feels it is a pulse slowly working it's way through his shoulder where his mark is. Down across the right side of his chest and it's so achingly close to his heart that he feels it race.

He looks around but everyone is there, they of course landed on earth to switch to the new ship under Anderson's command, but he doesn't have time to walk around waiting for his soul-mark to lead him to his heart (or at least that's what everyone calls it, in reality it's just the soul bond completing as you touch your soulmate).

Joker distracts him with another remark on the engines and Shepard looks towards him.

The feeling doesn't go away, which he is thankful for, but it's a heavy-heady feeling all throughout his day.

They have a day before leaving earth just because the Normandy is the top of the line and the Alliance brass wants it to be _perfect_ but it doesn't feel like enough time.

And then, when Shepard is still in Anderson's new office onboard the Normandy the feeling fades. Shepard grunts, and clenches his shoulder, whimpers.

Anderson's head snaps up and he narrows his eyes, “Dammit Shepard, always keeping these things to yourself. You could have told me. I would have let you search. Hell I would have helped you. You deserve good things in your life, kid.”

Shepard leans his head forward, and rubs at the mark, it doesn't hurt, not that much, but the fact he's lost his chance, lost his soul mate. Hell, that his soul-mate hadn't even tried looking for him. But, “I couldn't just stop working, this is an important mission.”

Anderson sighs, and stands up.

“Sir?”

The man hesitates before pressing a warm hand on his left shoulder (without the soul-mark) and leans down, “Drinks, on me. At worst we can try switching you with another Commander on the base. Hackett will understand.”

“Sir, I can't get drunk.” It's tempting though. All the lines on the forms they're still working on are starting to blur. And the pleasant feeling of his mark has faded into a dull throb that he's not sure is imagined or not.

“Anderson off duty, Shepard, we talked about this. Come on. Up.” Anderson lifts him easily out of the chair.

Anderson locks his office with ease (even though most of the engineers in Alliance take _days_ to put in security) and they head out of the Normandy into the ship-yard of the Alliance Headquarters.

They leave it easily enough, with Anderson in the lead and nothing urgent in the works this late at night. For a second when they are passing the barracks Shepard swears he feels the mark start to heat up again, but he shakes his head when they turn the other hall.

Not many people in the barracks on the headquarters when most soldiers who work here could just get an apartment nearby.

The bar they walk too is a rather short distance away, and Shepard can already hear Jenkins inside, the poor kid is going to have one hell of a headache when he's done.

This bar is owned by one of the few Krogans who live on earth. It's probably why the Alliance doesn't mind the soldiers who come here, as if to say _we're watching you_.

Muck is a bastard but fair on the drinks, when Shepard and Anderson enter the bar full of Turians, soldiers, and one or two asari, he nods at them. “Whiskey, old man?”

Anderson laughs and leans onto the bar, “Yeah, like your one to talk, what are you a thousand and ten?”

Muck snorts, and leers at a nearby Turian, “Five hundred and still packing heat.”

Anderson shakes his head.

Shepard sits down beside Anderson and nods at Muck. “Some of that Krogan stache you keep in the back.”

Muck stares at Shepard, eyes narrowed, before he grunts, “Bad day, huh?”

“Yeah, something like that.” Shepard rubs his shoulder again. He wants so desperately to start searching but even if he did, the mark's length on activating isn't an exact science yet. Even now it tends to vary with Asari having the largest length, one asari claiming to feel her soul-mark warm in space above their homeworld.

 

 

 

 

Shepard wakes up with a pounding headache and a desire to never get up again.

Except there are people moving outside Anderson's office of the ship, and Shepard knows that he has to get ready.

And suddenly there's a hot warmth, just for a second across his shoulder.

The chair clatters to the floor, and he runs to the door, pressing in the code to open it haphazardly.

It's burning hot.

Finally the door opens.

A Lieutenant is standing there gaping. “Captain Anderson?”

“No, Commander Shepard, you are?” Shepard's mark is hot, it has to be the lieutenant doesn't it? Who else could it be? He scans the hallway but there's no one else. His heart is racing. His hands clenched tight.

“Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko, sir.” Kaidan salutes, and then frowns, “Are you and Captain?” His frown deepens and he takes a step back.

Shepard instantly misses the warmth, and realized they were practically on top of eachother and doesn't remember moving. “What? No, no. Oh no.”

Kaidan smiles, and offers a hand.

Shepard takes it into his. Strong, calloused, soft palms, and pretty fingers. “Your hands are beautiful”

Kaidan flushes and ducks his head, “You have a lovely face.”

They stare at eachother for a long time, and Shepard has never felt more hesitant then this, when he leans in, and presses his lips against Kaidan's.

Kaidan's eyes flutter shut.

The bond blossoms and Shepard moans into the kiss.

Kaidan clutches at Shepard's shoulders. “I want you.”

“I want you too, Kaidan.” Shepard presses a hand against Kaidan's back, and thinks he'll never let go.


End file.
